Button repair kit

ABSTRACT

A button repair kit includes a snap fastener which includes a socket side and a stud or post side and has adhesive on the socket side thereof and a release covering on the adhesive. The adhesive is used to attach the socket side of the snap fastener to a button, and the snap side of the fastener is placed through the material on which a button is to be attached. A clutch element is attached to the post to hold the button in place on the material.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the general art of wearing apparel, andto the particular field of fasteners for wearing apparel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Buttons are believed to have been initially developed as a convenientmeans for connecting two pieces of fabric together. As buttons havedeveloped, they have been employed throughout all areas of the textileindustry. In fact, today, buttons are so common that they are oftenemployed simply for decorative purposes. However, for almost as long asbuttons have been known, they have been snapped, popped, lost and brokenfrom the fabric on which they were connected.

Typically, buttons comprise a disc-like member with one or more holestherethrough for “permanently” stitching the button to a piece of fabricby means of needle and thread. Although the thread stitching a button tofabric is typically doubled over time and again to reinforce the stitch,breaking of that thread and subsequent removal of the button from thefabric is commonplace, especially when the thread is subject toexcessive stress or as the thread becomes weakened through extended use.

Broken or lost buttons on garments such as shirts and blouses usuallyresult from mechanical stress of washers and dryers, commercial pressingequipment, and normal wear. The discovery that a button has been brokenor lost is often made at an inconvenient time, for example, whiledressing, at work, traveling, or when the garment is unpackaged from thelaundry. At such times, it may be inconvenient or impossible to repairthe button using the tried and trued techniques of needle and thread orsewing machine. Even if a needle and thread or sewing machine isavailable, many individuals have difficulties manipulating these devicesdue to poor eyesight, coordination or the like, or are simplydisinclined to engage in such activity. This dilemma is particularlytroublesome when there is inadequate time to sew or stitch the buttonback onto the garment. Further, problems of this nature: have becomeincreasingly common as commercial laundries have recently begun usinghotter pressing devices that result in breakage of plastic buttons.

The most obvious way to remedy the removal of a button is to sew it backonto the fabric. That process, though, can be a real nuisance due to thetime, patience and skill required. Many would rather go without thebutton than put themselves through the tedious task of replacing it.Furthermore, once a button is replaced, it is still just as susceptibleto being popped from the fabric again. Those consequences may beespecially acute when an individual is inexperienced or inept with aneedle and thread.

There is thus a need in the art for the means of quickly and easilyreplacing lost buttons to garments, regardless of the circumstancessurrounding the discovery of a lost button.

The inventor has observed that, for centuries, medals, ribbons, broochesand a variety of other ornamental articles have been fastened to fabricby means of sharpened pins that are connected to the back of the articleand are used to pierce the fabric. Typically, once the pin has piercedthe fabric, it is secured at its tip by some form of locking means tocomplete the attachment. That form of fastener is advantageous since itcan be performed quickly and easily. On the other hand, the sharpenedpin of such fasteners almost necessarily risks injury, although minor,to an individual who later wears or otherwise comes in contact with thefabric.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above-discussed disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by abutton repair kit that includes a snap fastener which includes a socketside and a stud or post side and has adhesive on the socket side thereofand a release covering on the adhesive. The adhesive is used to attachthe socket side of the snap fastener to a button, and the snap side ofthe fastener is placed through the material on which a button is to beattached. A clutch element is attached to the post to hold the button inplace on the material.

Using the button repair kit embodying the present invention will permitquick and easy replacement of a button on material without requiringsewing or other such process.

Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the invention willbe, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art uponexamination of the following figures and detailed description. It isintended that all such additional systems, methods, features, andadvantages be included within this description, be within the scope ofthe invention, and be protected by the following claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The invention can be better understood with reference to the followingdrawings and description. The components in the figures are notnecessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustratingthe principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, likereferenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout thedifferent views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a button repair kit embodyingthe present invention.

FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of a button repair kit embodyingthe present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the figures, it can be understood that the presentinvention is embodied in a button repair kit 10. Kit 10 comprises abutton 12 which has a first surface 14 which is an outer surface whenthe button is in use and a second surface 16 which is a rear surfacewhen the button is in use. The button shown is merely an example of themany types of buttons that can be used and is not intended as alimitation. A plurality of different buttons can be included with kit 10so the kit can be used to repair a wide variety of wearing apparelarticles.

A layer of material 20 has a first surface 22 which is located adjacentto second surface 16 of the button when the layer of material is in useand a second surface 24. A first layer 30 of adhesive material islocated on first surface 22. First layer 30 of adhesive material affixesthe layer of material to second surface 16 of the button when the layerof material is in use.

A release liner 40 is removably mounted on first layer 30 of adhesivematerial on first surface 22 of the layer of material, and is removedwhen the kit is to be used as will be understood from the teaching ofthis disclosure. A second layer of adhesive material 50 is located onthe second surface of the layer of material.

A stud element 60 includes a mounting plate 62 which has a first surface64 that is located adjacent to second surface 24 of the layer ofmaterial and which is adhered to second surface 24 of the layer ofmaterial by second layer 50 of adhesive material. Mounting plate 62further includes a second surface 66.

A post 70 is unitary with mounting plate 62 and extends from secondsurface 66 of the mounting plate. A clutch element 80 is releasablymounted on post 70 when the clutch element is in use as shown in FIG. 2.Clutch element 80 includes a body 82 which has a hole 84 definedtherethrough through which post 70 extends when the clutch element ismounted on the post. A spring-operated clasp 86 is located in the bodyand engages the post when the post is in the body. Wings 90 are locatedon the body and are operatively connected to the clasp to move the claspinto an open position to release the post from the body. Operation ofthe clasp is well known and thus will not be described or claimed indetail.

Use of kit 10 can be understood from the teaching of the foregoingdisclosure and thus will not be described in detail. To replace a buttonthat has fallen off of an article of wearing apparel, one simply selectsa suitable button (or uses the button that has fallen off of the articleof wearing apparel if that button can be found and retrieved), removesthe release liner and fixes the button to the layer of material which isfixed to the mounting plate of the stud element. The post of the studelement is then forced through the wearing apparel and the clutchelement is attached to the post. The post is thus attached to thearticle of wearing apparel, and the button is located in the position ofthe lost button. The button is then used in the manner of the buttonthat was lost. The button can be removed in order to sew a permanentbutton onto the article of wearing apparel.

While various embodiments of the invention have been described, it willbe apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many moreembodiments and implementations are possible within the scope of thisinvention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be restricted except inlight of the attached claims and their equivalents.

1. A button repair kit comprising: A) a button having a first surfacewhich is an outer surface when the button is in use and a second surfacewhich is a rear surface when the button is in use; B) a layer ofmaterial having (1) a first surface which is located adjacent to thesecond surface of the button when the layer of material is in use, (2) asecond surface, (3) a first layer of adhesive material on the firstsurface of the layer of material, the first layer of adhesive materialaffixing the layer of material to the second surface of the button whenthe layer of material is in use, (4) a release liner removably mountedon the first layer of adhesive material on the first surface of thelayer of material, and (5) a second layer of adhesive material on thesecond surface of the layer of material; C) a stud element whichincludes (1) a mounting plate which has a first surface that is locatedadjacent to the second surface of the layer of material and which isadhered to the second surface of the layer of material by the secondlayer of adhesive material and a second surface, and (2) a post which isunitary with the mounting plate and extends from the second surface ofthe mounting plate; and D) a clutch element which is releasably mountedon the post when the clutch element is in use, the clutch elementincluding (1) a body having a hole defined therethrough through whichthe post extends when the clutch element is mounted on the post, (2) aspring-operated clasp in the body which engages the post when the postis in the body, and (3) wings on the body which are operativelyconnected to the clasp to move the clasp into an open position torelease the post from the body.
 2. A button repair kit comprising: A) abutton having a first surface which is an outer surface when the buttonis in use and a second surface which is a rear surface when the buttonis in use; B) a stud element which includes (1) a mounting plate whichhas a first surface that is located adjacent to the second surface ofthe button and which is attached to the second surface of the button,and (2) a post which is unitary with the mounting plate and extends fromthe second surface of the mounting plate; and C) a clutch element whichis releasably mounted on the post when the clutch element is in use.